Pizza and pasta in one cheesy-baked casserole? Yes, please!
This is an easy pizza pasta recipe packed with all of the flavors of our fave pizzeria pie and a generous helping of cheese and pepperoni.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights For Pizza Pasta
- Flavor: This recipe has all of the flavor of our favorite supreme pizza baked into a zesty pizza pasta bake.
- Prep note: Cook the pasta until al dente (firm)—usually the lower end of cooking time on the package; it will cook more as it bakes in the oven.
- Time-Saving Tip: Skip the shredding; pre-shredded pizza cheese works just fine in this recipe! You can also use pre-cooked sausage in this recipe (you’ll still need to soften the peppers and onions).
What You’ll Need To Make Pizza Pasta
- Meat: Sausage adds lots of flavor, and ground beef is added to make it extra hearty. Use just one or the other if it’s what you have on hand.
- If using just beef, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning as beef isn’t seasoned like sausage is.
- Pasta: I love Cavatappi for this recipe as the curly shape holds up well, and the sauce and fixings are held in the curls. Other options are penne, ziti, or farfalle.
- Vegetables: Use whatever veggies you like on pizza. We add bell peppers, but mushrooms and spinach are other great additions.
- Sauce: I use pasta sauce, but you can replace up to 1 ½ cups with pizza sauce if you’d like. I find pizza sauce to be a bit sweeter, which is why I prefer at least some pasta sauce in this recipe.
- Cheese: Use shredded mozzarella cheese or your favorite Italian cheese blend in this recipe.
Other Toppings to Try
Top this pizza pasta recipe with sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, jalapenos, onions, sundried tomatoes, pineapple tidbits, or other pizza topping faves!
How to Make Pizza Pasta (overview)
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
- Brown the meat. Add bell peppers and pasta sauce and simmer until thickened.
- Combine in a baking dish and top with cheese and pepperoni.
- Bake until golden and bubbly.
Like most baked casseroles, this recipe is great with breadsticks or crusty bread and a fresh side salad. Try Caesar salad or our favorite Italian salad (everyone loves this salad!).
Storing Leftovers
- Assemble pizza pasta ahead of time and refrigerate up to 48 hours before baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Portions can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 4 months. The pasta will not be as firm, but it will still be delicious!
My Favorite Zesty Casseroles
Did your family love this Pizza Pasta? Leave a rating or a comment below.
Pizza Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cavatappi penne, or rotini
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 8 ounces Italian sausage mild or hot
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained, 14.5 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 jars pasta sauce 24 ounces each
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 28 slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook pasta el dente according to package directions. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, brown onion, sausage, and beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain any fat.
- Add in garlic and red and green peppers, and cook 2-3 minutes until tender. Add drained tomatoes, oregano, and pasta sauce. Stir well.
- Combine pasta and tomato sauce and pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with cheese and pepperoni slices.
- Bake 35-40 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Delicious!! I have made this twice and we love it!!
Love your recipes. Very easy to follow. Thank you!
Loved it. Going to be a favorite I in our house.
I love it
Yay! So happy to hear that Jessica!
I ate this dish with green olives cut op and the taste was Devine. I am not a big fan of. Pasta but this lady used bow tie pasta and I can tell you it was delicious. She used spaghetti sauce instead of tomatoes” Yummy
So glad you enjoyed this pizza pasta Elizabeth!
Pizza thing looks delicious
Thanks Janice! It is so tasty.
I tried this recipe and was a treat for tastes buds. I am going to try it for get together.
So glad you enjoyed it Sasha!
I added green olives and sprinkled the oregano on top. (because I forgot to add it lol)
this one is delicious feel the aroma of pizza i try it with some addition
Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit. I used half rigatoni half penne pastas. When using different pastas be sure to allow different cooking times for al dente. The only thing I might add the next time are button mushrooms. Otherwise, it’s perfect. Used Prego basil pasta sauce. Add salad and garlic toast!!
That sounds great Dody, so glad you loved this recipe!
This looks so good! Just shared in facebook, and can’t wait to make it!
Enjoy Rocklyn!
Tried this for dinner tonight and loved it. Super easy to make and delicious. I skipped on the onions and forgot the oregano and it still turned out great. Thanks!
I have a go to dish that’s almost the same. I use spaghetti noodles and pour a couple of beaten eggs over it to bind the spaghetti before adding the pizza toppings, which allows me to serve it cut in squares. We call it Pizzetti and it’s a huge hit at our house. I will be trying this variation thanks!
That sounds like an awesome dinner! I am going to try that trick with the eggs! Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight. I added Colby Jack cheese with the mozzerella. It turned out really great! Thank you!
I did half pasta sauce and half pizza sauce but still did not get the pizza flavor I was looking for. Next time, I will use just pizza sauce. Loved how easy it was! Can’t wait to try it again!!!
Maybe even a little bit of extra oregano! Please let us know how it turns out for you! :)
What sauce has everyone used? I’d love to hear recommendations!! Thank you all.
Prego chunky tomato garlic and onion. Turned out great!
I just came to see all the comments about changing the recipe from the way it’s posted lmao.
Really disappointed we can’t PIN this recipe.
You can Pin any recipe by hovering over the image on a desktop computer or double clicking any image on an iPhone/iPad. Hope that helps!
Ive been making something like this for years and my family loves it but ive never done it with hamburger so im gonna give it a try and see
Hi Holly,
The recipe calls for a can of tomatoes but doesn’t state the size, 14 or 28 ounce?
Thanks and look forward to making this dish!
Julia
Sorry about that Julia. I use a 14oz can of tomatoes in this recipe. I’ve updated the post.
This sounds amazing. This is definitely happening in my kitchen this weekend.